1. Technical Field
This application relates to the field of security systems, and more particularly to the field of actuating security systems using a wireless devices.
2. Description of Related Art
In many instances, a facility or group of facilities may have multiple diverse physical access security systems used to provide employees and others with selective physical access to restricted areas. Each of the systems may use its own unique smart cards, badges, and codes to provide for entry to a restricted area. The different systems may have been installed at different times and/or purchased from different vendors. In addition, an organization may acquire a facility and inherit whatever physical access security systems that had already been installed.
Referring to FIG. 1, a group 20 of physical access security systems 22, 22′, 22″ represents any number of systems located in a single building or in different buildings, including different buildings in geographically disperse areas. Each of the systems may include a door 24, 24′, 24″ (or similar) that selectively provides access to a restricted area. Each of the doors may be mechanically locked or unlocked by a controller 26, 26′, 26″ that sends a signal to actuate a lock mechanism for each of the doors 24, 24′, 24″.
The controllers 26, 26′, 26″ determine whether to actuate the lock mechanisms for the doors 24, 24′, 24″ based on access codes received from each of a plurality of smart cards 28, 28′, 28″. The term “smart cards” may be understood herein to include badges, keychain devices, or any other conventional portable electronic mechanism capable of transmitting access codes to the controllers 26, 26′, 26″. Each of the controllers 26, 26′, 26″ may be programmed to accept (i.e., unlock the doors 24, 24′, 24″) certain access codes from certain cards (devices) while rejecting others. Similarly, each of the smart cards 28, 28′, 28″ may be programmed to actuate certain ones of the controllers 26, 26′, 26″ and not others. However, in some cases, if the systems 22, 22′, 22″ are provided by different manufacturers/vendors, it may not be possible, for example, to program the controller 26 to accept any codes from the cards 28′, 28′ or to program the cards 28′, 28″ to actuate the controller 26. Thus, a user who, for example, is to be allowed access to an area restricted by the door 24 and to another area restricted by the door 24′ would need to carry both the card 28 and the card 28′. In addition to the potential logistical difficulties associated with issuing multiple cards to users and programming multiple systems, there are also security concerns that arise in connection with difficulties associated with the need to have, for example, a terminated employee return all his cards and/or reprogram multiple systems to not accept the cards of the terminated employee.
It is desirable to provide a mechanism to address the deficiencies described above.